After the euphoria of the thrilling stoppage time victory over Borussia Dortmund in the mid-week, Liverpool are back in action in the domestic league this weekend as they try to get as close as they can possibly get to a top-4 spot this season.

They face Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side who have done exceptionally well to survive their debut season after promotion from the Championship. They have shown some mettle on the field in recent games and will not be an easy opponent to face for Liverpool who have a crunch Merseyside derby to play on Wednesday.

This game is a closer affair than it seems and can provide all the action a Premier League game promises on a weekend. Here is the preview of the game along with the team news, predicted line-ups and betting odds:

The AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool game will be played on Sunday the 17th of April at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth. The kickoff is scheduled at 1:30 pm BST (6:00 pm IST).

Team News:

The hosts on the night will miss the services of Benik Afobe due to a hamstring injury while Adam Smith and Tyrone Mings are also sidelined due to injuries. Star player Harry Arter had some bad news as his ankle injury has ended his season and has also put his EURO16 place in jeopardy. Callum Wilson and Stanislas are both back fit and might play a part in this game.

Liverpool were dealt a blow when it was revealed that Emre Can is out for the rest of the season. However, he would have missed this game anyway through suspension. Skipper Jordan Henderson and Christian Benteke are still out while Gomez, Ings, and Rossiter remain as the long-term injuries.

The in form defender for Liverpool Dejan Lovren will face a different test on Sunday against the likes of Joshua King who has been spending for the Cherries this season. It will be an interesting battle and can easily change the course of the game on the night.

Daniel Sturridge vs Steve Cook:

One of the stand-out performers this season in the Premier League, Steve Cook will be up against the versatility of Sturridge who only came off the bench against Dortmund. It will be an important game for both players who have nothing to prove to the fans.

Key Stats:

All the matches were since January 2014, with two of those clashes were in Capital One cup and one in FA Cup.

Liverpool have conceded just one goal in the last 4 meetings with Bournemouth.

In the eight times that Liverpool and Bournemouth have played one another competitively, the Reds have never suffered defeat having won six and drawn two.

The Merseyside outfit have only managed to claim slender 1-0 wins of late, though, as they defeated Bournemouth with that score-line in both the league and the Capital One Cup at Anfield.

The Cherries have struggled to find the back of the net against Liverpool as they have managed four goals in eight games, and not once have they scored more than a single goal in a match against their opponents.

Betting Odds:

AFC Bournemouth: 5/2

Draw: 5/2

Liverpool: 6/5

Our Prediction:

The Cherries were unlucky to lose out in the reverse fixture at Anfield earlier this season. They have been a team hard to break down but the Reds are in sizzling form in front of goal and will be expected to take all three points from this game.

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